Oral health-related quality of life in cardiovascular patients- a systematic review

TL;DR

This review examines how oral health affects quality of life in people with heart and vascular diseases, finding that those with conditions like stroke and heart failure often have worse oral health-related quality of life.

Contribution

The study provides a comprehensive synthesis of observational evidence on oral health-related quality of life in cardiovascular patients, highlighting key populations and outcomes.

Findings

Patients with cardiovascular diseases, especially stroke and heart failure, show poorer oral health-related quality of life.

OHRQoL scores varied widely across studies, indicating a need for standardized assessment methods.

Older stroke survivors and other vulnerable groups require targeted oral health interventions.

Abstract

This systematic review aimed to synthesize evidence from observational studies on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), addressing the lack of comprehensive data on the determinants of impaired OHRQoL in this population.

A comprehensive and unrestricted search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from inception to July 2025 to identify cross-sectional, case-control, and cohort studies reporting on OHRQoL in cardiovascular patients. Two independent reviewers performed study screening and data extraction. English-language full-text articles were included. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42024609168). The methodological quality of included studies was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS). The search strategy included the keywords: “cardiovascular disease” AND “oral-health-related quality of life. “Eligible studies involved adult patients (aged 18 years or older) and reported outcomes using validated OHRQoL instruments.

Out of 327 records initially identified, 23 observational studies met the inclusion criteria. Overall, most studies were of moderate to high methodological quality. These studies involved diverse cardiovascular patient populations—including those with stroke, heart failure, and general CVD—with sample sizes ranging from 27 to 7,702. OHRQoL was primarily assessed using OHIP-14 and GOHAI. Mean OHRQoL scores showed substantial variability across studies (OHIP-14 range: 2.9–33.0; GOHAI range: 15.2–51.9). Across the majority of studies, patients with cardiovascular diseases—particularly those with stroke and heart failure—demonstrated poorer OHRQoL compared with reference or less severe groups.

Oral health significantly influences quality of life among individuals with cardiovascular conditions. Clinicians should prioritize oral health assessment and preventive care, particularly for vulnerable groups such as older stroke survivors. Future research should explore targeted interventions to improve OHRQoL in these populations.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12872-026-05564-8.

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